Minimum specification for iOS changing soon

Commusoft's app for iPhone and iPad will soon be updating its minimum specification. As of October 6th 2018, the new minimum compatible version of Apple's operating system (iOS) will be iOS 10. Read on to learn more about how this may affect you and why we are making this change.

Minimum specifications

We have two types of specification for Apple devices, hardware and software. It's important to make sure that the devices you run Commusoft on meet both these minimum requirements.

Hardware

The phone or tablet itself. Limits the speed that the app can run at based on the processing power of its component parts. Only upgraded by buying a newer device.

Minimum specs:

iPhone 6 or above

iPad Air 2 or above

iPad Mini 3 or above

iPad 5th Gen (2017) or above

iPad Pro 1st Gen or above

Software

The version of the operating system (iOS) installed. Limits how the app can function and the speed of operation. Upgraded by installing updates.

Minimum specs:

iOS 10 (as of 6th of October)

Meeting both requirements

Please make sure you own supported devices and that the operating system is updated to at least iOS 10 (although we recommend the latest version whenever possible).

For example, although we support iPhone 6, if you have not updated the device since purchase, it will be running iOS 8 and therefore not supported or compatible with Commusoft. In this case you will need to update to the latest version of iOS by installing software updates.

Similarly, if you own an iPhone 5S and have updated the operating system to iOS 10, although you meet the software requirements, the hardware is below minimum specification and therefore not supported.

How to see which version of iOS you have installed

To see whichversion of iOSyou have installed on your phone, go to 'Settings' > 'General' > 'About'. Under 'Version' you will see which iOS is installed. This needs to be 10.0 or above.

How to update to a newer version of iOS

We always recommend you keep your devices updated. In order to meet our new minimum specifications you may need to update the iOS installed on your phone, to do so go to 'Settings' > 'General' > 'Software Update'.

Improving our iOS app

Over the coming months we will be making updates to the Commusoft app, some of these changes will be behind the scenes to improve speed and reliability, whilst others will enhance the interface and navigation within the iOS app.

As we alter how the app works and as it continues to become more powerful, older versions of Apple's operating system (iOS) will struggle to run the software properly.

Our previous minimum specification for the operating system was iOS 9, however with these changes, the app will only be compatible with devices running iOS 10 and above. This means from the 6th of October, unless your device runs iOS 10 or above, you will not be able to install or update the Commusoft app.

We expect this change to impact very few of you, as all of the devices that meet the minimum hardware specification can already run iOS 10. However, if you are currently running Commusoft on an older, unsupported device please bear in mind the app will no longer be compatible at all. iPhone 4S, iPad 2, iPad 3rd Gen and iPad Mini 1st Gen will no longer be able to install or update the Commusoft app, as of October 6th. These devices were already not supported by Commusoft, so if you were using one of these devices - an upgrade is long overdue.

Supported devices

A range of devices meet our minimum specifications, however minimum specifications are exactly that - the minimum. If you wish to get the best out of the app, we always suggest you consider more recent and faster devices. For example, although we support iPhone 6 as a minimum, the app will run faster and more reliably on an iPhone 7 or 8. We also recommend keeping your devices up to date with the latest version of iOS, as this has a large impact on performance.

Choosing new devices?

We will always recommend an iPhone 7 over a 6, an 8 over a 7, and a X over an 8. The same goes for iPads, we'd recommend going for a large iPad designed for power over an iPad Mini, which is designed for convenience. However, we understand that newer devices are not cheap, which is why we aim to support a range of older devices too.

Something else to consider when picking new devices is depreciation. As apps become bigger and faster and as new iPhones and operating systems are released (iOS 12 is releasing September 17th), it is inevitable that minimum requirements will change in the future. Therefore, we wouldn't recommend choosing iPhone 6, as although we don't currently have plans to drop support, we won't be able to support this device forever. Choosing a newer model should give you a longer lifespan for your devices, which may prove to be more cost efficient in the long run.

What about Android?

These changes to the minimum specification only apply for Apple devices. The Android minimum specification currently remains unchanged as follows:

Software:

Android 5.0. (Lollipop)

Hardware:

Minimum 2GB RAM

Minimum 5GB internal storage

3G/ 4G connection

3.5” display

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